Dental desensitizer

ABSTRACT

A dental desensitizer apparatus which includes a hollow dielectric housing having therein a source of electrical energy connected to a current regulating means connected to and for activating a lamp carried at one end of said housing. Said means being operative to light said lamp only when the current output of the regulating means is of a selected amperage. A translucent cover closing said housing across said lamp and an oral operating extension selectively separable from said housing attached to the other end of said housing. Said extension being of a translucent soft and flexible dielectric material and having formed therein a pair of cavities each communicating with a separate porous spongelike pad disposed on opposite sides of the tip of the extension. Electrical connection is made between each of said pads and the output of said regulating means.

United States Patent Cinotti et al.

[4 1 Feb. 29, 1972 {54] DENTAL DESENSITI ZER [72] lnventors: Wiiliarn R.Cinotti, Glen Ridge, N.J.;

Joseph Panico, Arlington; Robert J. Barton, Wobum, both of Mass.

[52] US. Cl ..l28/l72.l [51] Int. Cl. ...A6In 35/00 [58] Field oiSearch..128/172.'1, 172, 404-406,

' Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-J. 13. MitchellAttorney-Edward F. Costigan [57] ABSTRACT A dental desensitizerapparatus which includes a hollow dielectric housing having therein asource of electrical energy connected to a current regulating meansconnected to and for activating a lamp carried at one end of saidhousing. Said means being operative to light said lamp only when thecurrent output of the regulating means is of a selected amperage. Atranslucent cover closing said housing across said lamp and an oraloperating extension selectively separable from said housing attached tothe other end of said housing. Said exten- [5 6] Reieremes Cited sionbeing of a translucent soft and flexible dielectric material UNITEDSTATES PATENTS and having formed therein a pair of cavities eachcommunicatmg with a separate porous spongelike pad disposed on op-2,834,344 5/1958 Kanai ..128/172.1 posite ides of the tip of thegxtensiom Electrical connection is 3,019,787 2/ 1962 S1mmons.. .....l28/172-1 made between each of said pads and the output of said regu-3,048,l70 8/1962 Lemos ..128/172.1 l thmeans. 3,215,139 11/1965 Dietz..128/l72.1 3,292,620 12/1966 Mahler ..128/172.1 9 Claims, 6 DrawingFigures 53 f/ 4 4/ i 15 m /6 /9 50 39 5a. i I 2 j 4 I I I I I v i 2 i l2/ r i L/I /7 9 4? 't-e 6 5 4.3 58 35 82 Q /3 [7 f4 37 35 f5PATENTEDFEBZQ I972 SHEET 2 [IF 2] DENTAL DESENSITIZER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates tooral and dental instruments and apparatus and more particularly pertainsto electrical desensitization of the teeth in conjunction with fluoridesolutions wherein the oral current supplied is regulated and properoperation is visually indicated.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the field of electrical dentaldesensitization, it has been the general practice to employ a separateapparatus for providing the electrical energy after the fluoridesolution has been applied to the teeth without any control over theapplied current. This procedure not only requires two separateoperations but generally necessitates the presence of at least a dentaltechnician. Additionally, it is apparent that the activating currentmust pass through a good portion of the patients body thus limiting itscontrol and effectiveness without any indication of proper operation.Since it is necessary to provide an electrical current to ionize thefluoride, which, serves as the electrolyte, this being establishedthrough the patient, a definite psychological difficulty is created inthat the patient is aware of the electrical energy passing through hisbody. This suggests, in the patients mind, the feeling of pain anddiscomfort and precludes any relaxation on his part during thedesensitization procedure. Applicants apparatus overcomes these problemsby providing a regulated self-contained unit which also indicates properoperation and restricts the electrical energy to the oral area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general purpose of this invention is toprovide an improved dental desensitizer that has all the advantages ofsimilarly employed prior art devices and has none of the above describeddisadvantages. To attain this, the present invention provides a uniquearrangement, structure and current regulating circuit in which thesource of electrical energy and the regulating means are housed in ahollow dielectric body having connected at one end an indicating lampwhich is activated only when the proper current is being applied to thepatient. Separably connected at the opposite end of the body is anoperating extension which carries an oral tip provided with a pair ofopposed porous pads which, independently communicates, with two cavitiesformed within the extension. The extension is of a soft deformable,translucent dielectric material and provides a passage there through forelectrical connection between the pads and the regulating means. Whenthe cavities are filled with a fluoride solution or paste and theextension compressed by the fingers of the patient, while in his mouth,a small amount of solution will fill the pads. One of the pads will bein direct contact with the dentine of the patients tooth while the otherwill directly engage the inner surface of the cheek, lips, tongue or jawso as to provide a short, low resistance internal path with positiveelectrical contact.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reliable, simple,inexpensive, efiicient, compact, lightweight, self-containedelectrolytic dental desensitizer.

Another object is the provision of a dental desensitizer having aconstant regulated current supply with a visual indication of properoperation.

Still another object is to provide a dental desensitizer which may bereadily operated by the patient and in which the supply of fluoridesolution is also controlled by the patient.

A further object is to provide a dental desensitizer wherein theoperating contract portion containing the fluoride solution is easilyreplaceable.

A still further object is the provision of a dental desensitizer whichis hand held and in which the entire electrical path is within the oralarea for minimizing the circuit resistance.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of anembodiment made in accordance with the principle of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is another cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 22of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 33 ofFIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 4-4 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 5-5 ofFIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic of the electronic current regulating andindicating circuits employed in the embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the illustrated embodiment ofFIGS. 1 through 5, a hol low housing or body 10 of a relatively rigid,dielectric, molded plastic such as ABS or polyethylene has disposedtherein a source of electrical energy such as a battery 11 and a printedcircuit board 12 which also includes various electrical components. Thecircuit board 12 is supported within the housing by a pair oflongitudinal grooves 13 (see FIG. 3) formed by the body wall into whichit slides while similar recesses can be provided for the battery 11where necessary which is electrically coupled to the board by springcontact 14 at battery terminal 14'. The board components are, wherenecessary, connected to the spring contact 14 through a metal runner 15carried along the edges of the board and embedded therein. Disposed atthe rear end of the housing proximate, and in electrical spring contactwith the other terminal 16 of the battery is a lamp holder 17 whichcarries lamp 18. Internal threads 19 on the rear end of the housingpermit the mounting of the threaded translucent lens cap 20 over thelamp 18 as well as closing the end of the housing. The opposite housingend is closed by an end wall 21 into which are embedded couplingcontacts 22 and 23 and through which they pass and are supportedtherein, a pair of metallic electrode plugs 24, 25 are integral with thecouplings and extend outwardly thereof. These plugs are electricallyconnected via the couplings 22', 23' to the forwarded runners 26 and 27against which they tightly and slidably abut within the grooves forconnection to the board 12 so as to couple to the current outputthereof. Wires 28,29 which may be molded into the housing serve toconnect the board to both the opposite end of the battery and the lampfor completion of the circuit. Wire 29 connects the lamp base 30 to thebattery terminal 14' via the spring base 31, ring contact 32, runner l5and spring contact 14. The board is connected to terminal 16 through thelamp spring contact 33, base contact 34 and ring 35, wire 28 and boardrunner 26'. These parts are securely held in positionwhen the lens cap20 is threaded into the body since they are compressed between the bodyshoulder 37 and the cap shoulder 38.

A separable and replaceable extension 39 which is provided with a pairof inwardly extending recess 40, 40' that are formed as part of the rearwall 41 thereof to receive and mate with the plugs 24, 25, is carried byand affixed to the body or housing. The innermost portion of each of therecesses is provided with coupling means as for example, a metallicsleeve 42, 43, from which wires 44,45 extend through tubular openings46,47 in extension divider 48. The central divider 48 separates theextension into two parts to form with the outer shell a pair of cavities49,50. Since the extension terminates in an oral operating tip 51 to beplaced in the patients mouth, its general configuration is one such thatproximate the tip it is quite narrow crosswise but Y-shaped in theperpendicular plane so as to provide spaced faces 51 and 51". Disposedon and supported by the tip faces 51' and 51" are a pair of opposed,spaced-apart, foam rubber, spongelike pads 52,53 which are in directcommunication with their respective caviti'es through communicatingchannels 54,55 so as to be accessible to sodium fluoride solution 56 orpaste or any other suitable dental formula within the cavities. Sincethe outer shell of .the extension 39 is formed of any suitable soft,flexible, deformable, dielectric material, the compression of thecavities, as'by the patients fingers, will force the paste into thepads. Disposed intermediate the tip and each of the pads and in intimatecontact therewith is a metallic coupler 57,58 which terminates the wire44, 45 so that the board current output is connected thereto. Thus it isclear that a complete circuit connection exists between the output leadsof the circuit board 12 and each of the pads whereby when the operatingtip is placed in the patients mouth with one pad in contact with thedentine or cementum the opposite pad will be against some tissue portionof the mouth, usually the inner surface of the cheek. Since the pads arespread apart as illustrated, the liquids in the patients mouth will notshort circuit the path directly between the pads. Low resistance isthereby maintained between the electrodes or pads. It should be observedthat for operability only one of the pads (on dentine) need be suppliedwith the fluoride but, as a practical matter, since both sides of frontand back teeth should be readily accessible without excessivemanipulation both pads are activated. With the extension replaceable andthe tip portion extremely flexible due in part to its small crosssection intermediate the tip and the wall 41, the device is extremelyversatile and easily employed. Additionally, it should be noted that thepolarity of the pads could be reversed by merely reversing the extensionbut, if it is to be fixed, the plugs could be polarized by enlarging oneof them. The electronic circuit of the board 12 is fully illustrated inFIG. 6 where the battery 11 is connected across a voltage dividerconsisting of series resistors 60 and 61 whose junction 63 is connectedto the base 64 of transistor 65 so as to provide a constant fixed basebias. The collector 66 of this transistor is connected to one of theplugs 25 and therefore effectively to one of the pads within thepatients mouth. The emitter 67 of the current control transistor 65 isconnected to negative side of the battery via variable emitter resister68 which can be of the fixed type where a set current is desired.Transistors 69 and 70 in a Darlington configuration provide thenecessary DC current amplification and supply the current to electrode24 through the patient, collector 66, emitter 67, and resistor 68 fromthe battery. This current is effectively controlled by the value ofresistor 68 and kept constant by the biases on transistor 65 and isindependent of the battery voltage and tooth impedances below 800,000ohms. A suitable patient current for desensitization has been found tobe approximately 1O microamperes. Transistor 70 has its emitter 71connected to the positive battery terminal and its collector 72 inseries with the lamp l8 and battery negative. The base 73 of transistor70 is tied to the emitter 74 of transistor 69 whose collector 75 isgrounded through the lamp and whose base 76 in turn is connected to theelectrode 24. Thus it is clear that for the constant current to flowthrough the patients tooth, it must likewise flow through the base 76 oftransistor 69 which pennits current to flow through the lamp that iseffectively across the battery when transistor 70 is fully on. The lampwill only ignite when the desensitizer is operating and it will onlyoperate when the pads are electrically connected through some circuit(patients mouth) so the necessity of any on-off switch is eliminated.

Although the above-described circuit has been illustrated in conjunctionwith the desensitizer, it can also be employed quite independently tosupply a selectable constant current. One such use to which is hasalready been successfully applied is as a pulp" tester. The current,will, however, be slightly reduced where the impedance exceeds 800,000ohms and in either the ease of the tester or the desensitizer, theperformance will not be seriously degraded. On the other hand, highercurrents to microamps will cause the patient varying degrees ofdiscomfort depending on his sensitivity and the applied current. Thepresent invention limits the current and obviates these discomforts.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosurerelates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and thatnumerous modifications or alterations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and the scope of the invention as set forth inthe appended claims.

We claim:

1. An electric electrolytic desensitizer and decay inhibitor whichcomprises:

a hollow rigid dielectric body having supported therein,

a battery a lamp directed outwardly and having one terminal thereofdetachably coupled to one terminal of said battery,

constant current regulating means having its power input terminalsconnected across said battery and having a pair of output terminals, theother terminal of said lamp connected to said regulating means wherebywhen said regulating means are operative said lamp will be ignited,

an oral operative extension of a flexible dielectric material formed soas to provide therein a pair of cavities, and being closed by a wall atone end,

the opposite end of said extension formed to converge toward a tipportion,

a pair of applicators disposed on opposite faces of said tip portion,

a pair of channels communicating directly between said applicators andtheir respective said cavities,

electrical and support coupling means partially carried by saidextension and said body detachably coupling said oral extension thereto,and electrically coupling said output terminals to said applicators,

whereby when said extension is coupled to said body, said cavitiesfilled with a dental medicant electrolyte, and one of said applicatorsdisposed against a patients tooth, a constant selectable current willflow through said applicator, said electrolyte, said tooth, patient'soral tissue and the other of said applicators and said lamp will beignited to indicate proper operation.

2. The desensitizer according to claim 1 wherein said couplings include:

a pair of pronglike electrodes supported in and extending out of saidbody at the end opposite said lamp,

a pair of recesses in said wall of said extension mating with andreceiving said electrodes, said recesses being provided with electricalcontact means therein contacting said electrodes, electricallyconducting means disposed intermediate said applicators and said tipfaces and connected to said electrical contact means. 3. Thedesensitizer according to claim 2 wherein said current regulating meanscomprises:

a pair of series connected resistors forming a divider network, a secondresistor a first transistor having its base electrode connected to thejunction of said series resistors, and an emitter and collectorelectrodes, second and third transistors each having base, emitter andcollector electrodes, a series loop path having connected therein saidseries resistors said second resistor said emitter and collectorelectrodes of said first transistor said output terminals, said base andemitter of said second transistor and said base and emitter of saidthird transistor, said collectors of said second and third transistorsconnected to the other terminal of said lamp, said power input terminalsconnected across said series resistors, 4. The desensitizer according toclaim 3 wherein sai second resistor is a variable resistor forselectively adjusting the current of said regulating means.

5. The desensitizer according to claim 4 wherein said applicators arefoamlike pads.

6. The desensitizer according to claim 5 further including a detachablelens cap threaded into said body over said lamp.

7. They desensitizer according to claim 6 wherein said body 5 Y and saidextensions are circular in cross section.

8. The desensitizer according to claim 7 further including a circuitboard having connected and supported thereon said

1. An electric electrolytic desensitizer and decay inhibitor whichcomprises: a hollow rigid dielectric body having supported therein, abattery a lamp directed outwardly and having one terminal thereofdetachably coupled to one terminal of said battery, constant currentregulating means having its power input terminals connected across saidbattery and having a pair of output terminals, the other terminal ofsaid lamp connected to said regulating means whereby when saidregulating means are operative said lamp will be ignited, an oraloperative extension of a flexible dielectric material formed so as toprovide therein a pair of cavities, and being closed by a wall at oneend, the opposite end of said extension formed to converge toward a tipportion, a pair of applicators disposed on opposite faces of said tipportion, a pair of channels communicating directly between saidapplicators and their respective said cavities, electrical and supportcoupling means partially carried by said extension and said bodydetachably coupling said oral extension thereto, and electricallycoupling said output terminals to said applicators, whereby when saidextension is coupled to said body, said cavities filled with a dentalmedicant electrolyte, and one of said applicators disposed against apatient''s tooth, a constant selectable current will flow through saidapplicator, said electrolyte, said tooth, patient''s oral tissue and theother of said applicators and said lamp will be ignited to indicateproper operation.
 2. The desensitizer accordIng to claim 1 wherein saidcouplings include: a pair of pronglike electrodes supported in andextending out of said body at the end opposite said lamp, a pair ofrecesses in said wall of said extension mating with and receiving saidelectrodes, said recesses being provided with electrical contact meanstherein contacting said electrodes, electrically conducting meansdisposed intermediate said applicators and said tip faces and connectedto said electrical contact means.
 3. The desensitizer according to claim2 wherein said current regulating means comprises: a pair of seriesconnected resistors forming a divider network, a second resistor a firsttransistor having its base electrode connected to the junction of saidseries resistors, and an emitter and collector electrodes, second andthird transistors each having base, emitter and collector electrodes, aseries loop path having connected therein said series resistors saidsecond resistor said emitter and collector electrodes of said firsttransistor said output terminals, said base and emitter of said secondtransistor and said base and emitter of said third transistor, saidcollectors of said second and third transistors connected to the otherterminal of said lamp, said power input terminals connected across saidseries resistors,
 4. The desensitizer according to claim 3 wherein saidsecond resistor is a variable resistor for selectively adjusting thecurrent of said regulating means.
 5. The desensitizer according to claim4 wherein said applicators are foamlike pads.
 6. The desensitizeraccording to claim 5 further including a detachable lens cap threadedinto said body over said lamp.
 7. The desensitizer according to claim 6wherein said body and said extensions are circular in cross section. 8.The desensitizer according to claim 7 further including a circuit boardhaving connected and supported thereon said regulating means components,said body being provided with a pair of opposed grooves and supportingtherein said circuit board.
 9. The desensitizer according to claim 8wherein said tip is Y-shaped and said applicator are carried by the armsof said Y-shaped tip and directed outwardly.